Redwall: An Unexpected Journey
by FeelthePainofPropane
Summary: When a terrifying monster captures the mountain fortress of Salamandastron, a badger lord, a Redwall mouse, and a company of hares set out to reclaim their home. But they aren't the only ones eyeing the mountain. Based on the legendary novel The Hobbit.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello my fellow fanfiction-ers! I am FeelthePainofPropane and I am here to bring you an epic tale combining two of my favorite universes: Redwall and The Hobbit. It surprises me that nobody has ever thought of doing a Redwall story based on The Hobbit; I think it would be brilliant! So I took it upon myself to do it.**

**A couple of note before we begin. First, this isn't necessarily a crossover. This story will only be _loosely based_ on The Hobbit. I will be putting in my own characters in the story, with a couple of characters sharing names.**

**Second, this will be my first multi-chapter story. I am not a professional writer, so if I make any mistakes or need any improvement, do not hesitate to give me advise.**

**So, with no more ado, let us BEGIN!**

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Prologue

Spring had once again come to Redwall, and in full force. The trees of Mossflower Woods were reclaiming their leaves after the barrenness of winter and wild flowers blanketed the forest floor. Meanwhile, robins and goldcrests could be seen gathering supplies for nests and singing their sweet tunes. Inside the abbey, beauty permeated every acre; cowslips, primroses, and bluebells mingled with the outside lawns, fruit trees in the orchard were beginning to bloom, and the red sandstone walls of the abbey were illuminated into a bright pink. It was truly a site to behold.

This spring beauty was lost, however, on one abbeybeast. A doormouse, gray furred and wrinkled from age, was sitting in a padded desk chair inside the abbey gatehouse. He was dressed in a white undershirt with a red vest and trousers. He was oblivious to the molts of dust that surrounded him as he bent over his desk, furiously writing on an empty piece of parchment. Suddenly, a sharp knock sounded on the gatehouse door. The doormouse gave out a huff of annoyance.

"No, thank you! We don't want any more visitors, well-wishers, or nosy loiterers!"

"And what about nephews delivering a bit of lunch?"

The old mouse recognized the voice instantly. He got up from his desk and briskly walked over to the door. Standing outside was a much younger-looking mouse dressed in a simple green habit. The youth was a fair bit taller than the elder mouse, and apart from a few minor differences, was the spitting image of his elder. With him was a lunch tray with a leek and mushroom pastie, fresh spring salad, candied apples and a beaker of strawberry cordial.

"Ah, Frollo, my boy, come in! I was wondering when old Friar Bardo was going to send over my lunch. What took you so long, lad?"

The younger mouse entered the gatehouse and headed towards the desk as the elder closed the door behind him.

"Sorry uncle, I kept on being stopped by everybeast asking me where you were. I think Sister Sackville has been telling everyone that you're in here counting your overflowing wealth, again."

"Ugh, it was one small chest, hardly overflowing. And it still smells like rat!"

As the youth set the lunch tray down upon the desk, his eye wondered towards the parchment.

"Oh! Uncle, is this the story you are working on?"

The older mouse rushed over and covered up the parchment with his paws before stuffing it away.

"Yes, yes it is, and I don't want anyone to see it just yet, not even you, my boy. I want this tale to be completely finished before I read it out to the abbey."

The youth became disheartened by his uncle's secrecy towards him. The older mouse noticed this and put a reassuring paw on his broad shoulder.

"Oh, don't be so down, my lad. In fact, when this book is finished, you will be the first one I show it to. How does that sound?"

The youth gave back a small smile and took his elder's paw in his. He then exited the gatehouse and started to make his way back towards the abbey. With his lunch finally at his side, the old mouse sat back down in his padded chair and took out the parchment once more. He dipped his quill in a nearby ink pot and held it to mouth, as he usually did when thinking.

"Now...where to begin?"

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**I will try to update this story as frequently as I can. Since the summer is coming up, I'll have plenty of time to do it, but on the other hand, I am a slow writer, so bear with me.**

**Other than that, good night and joy be with you all!**


	2. How it all Began

**Welcome back everyone! Here is the first official chapter of the story. Enjoy!**

Chapter 1: How it all Began

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The mountain fortress of Salamandastron was experiencing a very rare occurrence; an uninterrupted time of peace. For nearly fifteen whole seasons, no manner of mischief occurred in the territory of the badger lords. No sea rats or corsair ships to be seen on the great ocean, no wandering horde of vermin causing havoc, not even the smallest band of bandits were present.

But that didn't mean that the famous hares of the Long Patrol were slacking. Far from it, in fact. Throughout the seasons, the hare soldiers of the mountain kept to their rigid regiments and drills, constantly improving their skills and honing them to a knife-like edge. The patrols of the countryside were still carried out on their regular schedules, only instead of fighting vermin, the hares would spend their time helping anybeast that needed their aid, their only expense being the food in their larders.

The hares weren't the only ones busing themselves. The current ruler of the mountain, Lord Durin Ironclaw, had guided his mountain home into a golden age of prosperity. He expanded the amount of hares in the Long Patrol by recruiting hares all across the land and having them train at his mountain, some of which he trained himself. He had also made sure to maintain a constant connection with his friends, the woodlanders of Redwall Abbey. He made such good connection, in fact, that one of the Friars of the Abbey volunteered to teach his hares to cook meals that rivaled the famed feasts of the abbey itself!

The Badger Lord also kept himself occupied by honing his own creative talents. Durin was a genius with a forge and had singlepawedly made Salamandastron known far and wide as a great bastion of wealth. All throughout Mossflower, beasts told tales of stout armor and shields, gleaming swords, shining spears, and glistening jewelry made from the finest gems, all forged by Durin himself. In fact, it was said that the most beautiful of these creations was given to Durin's faithful wife on the day of their marriage.

However, all golden ages come to an end, and this one would end in terror.

The summer storms that plagued Salamandastron had come again. Only this time, it seemed that all had come at once, combining their might and transforming into a virtual hurricane. The deluge of rain made the seas boil with white foam, creating huge tidal waves that broke upon the shore, almost reaching the mountain itself. It was then, when the storm seemed to be fading, that the watchful hares saw something in the waves. Something unbelievable.

He was a great reptile of the seas, the likes of which were never seen in Mossflower. A true leviathan, he was of gigantic scale, easily dwarfing the badger by a great length. His entire body was covered in scaly ridges and his huge feet decorated with scythe-like claws. As he crawled his way out of the waves, he uttered a primordial sound from his mouth, a bone-chilling mixture of a hiss and a furious roar.

Smaug had come.

Upon seeing this monster, Durin rallied his hares to defend their home. Grabbing swords, spears and shields, the Long Patrols charged out onto the beaches, battered by the continuing storm. Durin, dressed in his finest armor and armed with a great longsword, was at their head, leading on his loyal soldiers and friends.

What happened next was not a battle, but a slaughter.

With the power of ten badger lords, Smaug rushed through the ranks of hares with astonishing speed. Those that were not crushed under the weight of his clawed feet were brutally cast aside by a sweep his powerful scaly tail. Some brave hares made their way onto Smaug's back while he was distracted. Using this to their advantage, the hares stabbed at the creature with all their might. But it was for naught; his skin was like the hardest of armor, easily deflecting any blows they made. Smaug noticed this minor annoyance and with his monstrous strength, he flung the hares into the air, opened his massive jaws, and crunched.

It was then that Durin, seeing his hares being massacred, called upon the strength of the Bloodwrath, the ancient badger spirit of battle. With the power of desperation, he charged into the fray, coming face to face with the monster himself. Once, twice, three times did he slash with his greatsword, only for his blows to merely bounce of the scales of his opponent.

Smaug had his fun, now it was time to kill. Using the lord's fatigue to his advantage, he butted him down onto the sand and pinned him with his feet. Then, grabbing the badger lord, Smaug pressed him against his belly and thrashed around the shore with barbaric ferocity, sending any surrounding hares flying.

Once the death roll had ended, Smaug tossed aside the badger like he was a plaything towards the mountain, setting his sights on the remaining hares. With the little strength he had left, Durin called his wife and child to him and told them to do the one thing that could save the mountain: run. He commanded them to take any remaining fighting hares with them and get away from Salamandastron while they still could. He then turned back onto the beach to face his foe and charged into oblivion.

Salamandastron fell that day. The corpses of hares both young and old littered the shores, their bodies broken and desecrated. But Smaug was not done with them yet. With the mountain secured, he dragged his former prey into the fortress with him, carving crimson trails of blood onto the sands.

There was only one place where the survivors of the massacre could find safety. For over a season, the badger lady, her son, and the eight remaining hares trudged through wilderness towards the abbey of Redwall. And it was over a season for the memories of what happened to burn into the mind of the young badger prince. For as long as he lived, he would remember the wailing of the storm, the hiss of the great evil beast, and broken body of father sprawled before him.

He would never forgive, and he would never forget.

_15 seasons later..._

Early morning in Redwall Abbey was a peaceful time of day. The birds had not yet woken from their slumbers to sing, so the woods of Mossflower were filled with a tranquil quietness. Some abbeybeasts would be about doing any chores that needs every hour to be completed, but not wanting to wake anybeast, they went about them with a courteous silence. That is until the abbey babes, or Dibbuns, would wake, in which the entire abbey would be filled with the sounds of mirth, and sometimes chaos.

Friar Toby, a tall but slightly plump otter cook, was hard at work in the abbey kitchens trying to contain the rambunctious Dibbuns.

"Ahoy there, yew little scalawags, put down tha' tray o' damson an' barley muffins!"

"But we's hun'gy. We's wanna eat brekkist now!"

"Well, yore just gonna have'ta wait a bit longer. Oi! Duill and Bransi, yew two better not be tryin' to swipe that cherry tart, are ye?"

The two culprits in question, a pair of squirrel twins, were just out of the kitchen doors before being caught by the agitated Friar.

"Uh...no sir."

"Yeah, we, uh, were takening it to otha beast inna abbey."

"Hmm, I'm shore you were, liddle ones. Ack! Loamer, for the last time, get out 'o that meadowcream custard!"

A small molebabe dashed out of the larder, bumbling towards the Great Hall to freedom. Then, without looking where he was going, the babe bumped into what he thought felt like a tree with fur. He then looked up into the face of a full-grown male badger whose head stripe was so darkened, it looked as black as his other two stripes. The giant looked back down at the little babe with worn and tired eyes.

The staring contest lasted only a few short moments before Toby came into the Great Hall.

"Get back 'ere, yew little rouge! I'll make yer scrub...Oh, good morning, Byron. Was this liddle one disturbing you."

The badger wearily steered his gaze towards the otter and gave a hefty yawn.

"No, no, not at all Toby. I see the Dibbuns have been ransacking the kitchens again, hm?"

"Aye, that they have. I swear, those liddle ones are worse than the 'ares, uh, if ye don't mind me sayin'."

The badger gave a half-hearted chuckle.

"No, you are right about that. By the way, have you seen my mother anywhere?"

"Yes, actually. I sent 'er to go fetch me some mint and rosemary ou'side for breakfast."

The badger waved his paw in thanks as he made his way out to the Abbey lawns, leaving the Friar to go and discipline the rampaging Dibbuns.

The Badger Lady Honora may have been coming on in seasons, but to everyone in Redwall, she looked as young as the day she first came to the Abbey. Only a few gray hairs adorned her black stripes in her fur not not a wrinkle could be seen along her face. But though she didn't look old, Honora could feel age creeping up on her. That was why she enjoyed doing simple tasks, such as gathering the herbs for the morning breakfast.

As she turned to go inside, she saw her son trudging towards her.

"Hello mother." he called as he got closer.

"Good morning, my son. How are you?"

Before Byron could answer, he let out another yawn, causing his mother to give him a look of concern.

"You weren't able to sleep again, were you?"

"Was it that obvious?"

"Of course it is, you look ready to collapse at any moment. Why don't you go up and see if Sister Cassandra can help you? I'm sure she can give you some sort of drought to help you sleep."

"I don't think sleeping potions can help with nightmares."

Honora face became saddened at the newest comment.

"It was about the mountain, wasn't it?"

Byron looked down at the grass and sighed deeply.

"Yes. It was."

Honora loved her son deeply and it tortured her to see him suffering. She lovingly placed her paw on her son's shoulder.

"I know what will cheer you up. Why don't you go find Nikolai. I know he always brings you into good spirits with that...what does he call it? 'Pipe-weed'?"

Byron looked back up with a small smile.

"Yes, I think that will be fine."

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**I think I made it a little **_**too**_** obvious what Smaug is, but I'd love to see you guys' ideas.** **Also, fun fact; the squirrel twins Duill and Bransi are based off of the Irish words for 'leaf' and 'branches'!**

**Until next time, good night and joy be with you all! **


	3. A spot of Pipeweed

**Hello once again! I'm so sorry that it took so long to come out. Anyways, let's get back into it!**

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Chapter 3: A spot of Pipeweed

The orchards of Redwall were famous not only for the variety of fruit trees that were held within, but for being a most tranquil place. They would be used to meditate, hold feasts, or simply laze the day away. One mouse, as it so happened, was doing the latter action with gusto.

Nikolai, called Niko by abbeydwellers for short, was resting in a patch of soft grass underneath a blossoming pear tree, enveloped in the warmth of Spring. He was surrounded by a gray, sickly-sweet smoke that smelled of sage and lilac, with just a hint of tobacco, which came out of a simple yet finely crafted pipe. Nikolai lit a new wick with his flint and steel and lit the inside of the pipe, sucking up the smokey aroma within. Once he had a sufficient amount, he whistled his lips and breathed out, sending forth a perfect circle of smoke.

"Ah, there's another good one. Nothin' like it, wouldn't you say, Berry?"

A hare, tall and slightly gray-furred, sat near the mouse armed with his own pipe. He too whistled his lips and made an additional smoke circle.

"Ah, nothin' like it indeed, Niko old chap. I say, this pipe-whatsit is rather spiffing. Clears the head and relaxes the cords, ya know? What say you Terry, old scout?"

Another hare, more dark-furred than the other, looked over to the two beasts and responded with a simple smile and a quick nod.

"Haha! Well said, my brother. Y'know, Niko my boy, I think my brother Terry can produce some fine old wisdom, betta than me old papa, I say."

As the hare was about to take another puff from his pipe, he felt a small force sting against the side of his face.

"Yow! I say, what'n season's name was that?"

Berry indignantly looked around on the ground to find the source of the harassment. His eyes fell onto a lone cherry pit. As he bent down to pick it up, another pit bounced off the crown of his head. Berry sprung his head up and saw a rather large shadow duck behind a nearby cherry tree.

"Aha! So there's the intruda! Alright now, come out, you mischievous rascal, or I'll have your whiskers chopped h'off and grated on me salad, or my name isn't Bernard Taninmore!"

From behind the tree came Byron, the badger practically vibrating with laughter as he walked towards the group.

"Hehehe, sorry there, haha, Berry. I couldn't help myself hehe!"

Behind him Berry could hear Niko and his brother Terry barely containing their own chuckles and snickers. His own irked face then melted away into one of good humor once again.

"Hahaha, well that's quite alright, m'lord. Ha, even fully grown, you've still got th' giddiness of a Dibbin, wot! Come on then, grab a pipe n' join us for a bit of recreation."

Byron gladly sat next to his friends and took one of Niko's spare pipes, filling it with the aromatic weed. He lit it and after sucking in a good amount, he blew up a great column of sweet smelling smoke.

"Ah. That's better, thank you. After the night I had last night, I needed this."

Niko looked at the badger with slight concern.

"What happened, Byron? What caused you t' have such a bad night?"

"Oh, uh, nothing too bad, Nikolai. Just a nightmare. It seems I've been having them a lot recently. Say Berry, where have the others gone to?"

Berry looked up from his pipe. "Oh, thither an' yon, m'lord. Let's see, I believe Daisy and Bucker are in the cellars with Brother Gaffer. I say, those three c'n certainly hold their drinks, wot. And, eh, ah yes! Fili and Kili left with Skipper to go catch watershrimp."

Just as Berry finished his sentence, a sharp tapping was heard from the nearby east gate. Berry haphazardly picked himself up and started walking towards it.

"Well, well, speak of the devil! Welp, let's see just how much shrimp those ruffians caught, wot!"

As Berry unbolted the gate, he was greeted by the most humongous otter anybeast had ever seen. Tall, lithe, and fit to burst with muscle, Skipper was truly in his prime. Accompanying him were two hares who were almost identical to the other; the shapes of their bodies and the length of their ears were practically the same. The only thing telling the two apart was that one had charcoal gray fur while the other was a sandy brown. All three of the fine fisherbeasts carried with them nets swollen with shrimp.

"Ahoy there, sir Berry! I was hopin' you'd be aroun' this gate when us three got back. Ho nelly, ye shoulda seen 'ow many shrimp there were, t'was like the River Moss was made of them instead o' water!"

"Ho ho ho, you could say that again, Skippa old matey!" said the sandy brown hare. "Why, we were tempted ta send one of us back here and get ol' Lady Honora and have her haul some of th' nets for us, ha ha!"

Berry gave the rowdy group a playfully stern look. "Why, you young chaps know better than to make Her Ladyship do heavy work! Now go on t' the kitchens, your brother Toby's waiting for you, wot."

Skipper started dragging the nets towards the abbey with Fili and Kili in tow as Kili, the charcoal hare, called back. "Haha, I bet he is, ready ta make some his famous Hot Watershrimp Stew for tonight, I bet'cha. Maybe he c'n help us than, get him to lose some o' that fat on him!"

The three pals laughed heartily at Kili's jab towards Skipper's friar brother. Seeing them walk together brought a smile to Berry's face.

"Ah, youth. Those three remind me of our bygone years, wouldn't ya say Terrance?"

The brother hare looked back at his brother and gave him a solemn nod.

"Aye, took the words right out o' my mouth."

Niko got up from his comfortable spot and started cleaning up the groups' smoking devices. "Well friends, I think we should follow their example and help with preparing for tonight's festivities."

"Capital idea, Niko my boy." said Berry while handing over his pipe. "I think Terry and I could, eh, help with with food preparation. Can't have the young ones have all the fun, er, responsibility, I mean."

Niko rolled his eyes at the hare's not-so-skillful concealment of his motives. "Then maybe you Byron can help with setting up the tables and benches here in the orchard. That shouldn't be much of a problem for you, I'd wager?"

Byron got up and ever so slightly flexed his powerful muscles. "No, I don't believe it will be a problem at all."

The Spring of Flourishing Blossoms was a more than proper name for the name day feast the abbey was hosting. All of the trees around Redwall, from the plums, apples, and pears in the orchard to the dogwoods and red buds of the surrounding forest, were bristling with dazzling and fragrant blooms. Even the flowers were getting in on the natural celebration, opening up to reveal their color and elegance for all to see.

Such as it was towards the evening when all the abbeybeasts were bustling about making sure that all the preparations were in place. While the brawnier beasts like Skipper, Byron, and the two hares Fili and Kili went about the orchard setting up the furniture, the otter Friar Toby was could be heard ordering his helpers around in the kitchens like a queen bee to her workers. Presently, he was checking on his squirrel and mouse apprentices, Samantha and Stuart.

"Stuart, have ya stirred up the mixin's for the salads yet?"

"Y-yes, Friar, th-th-they're all on th-the tables."

"Good lad. Ahoy, Samantha, 'ow are those tarts bakin' over yon'?"

"Almost ready to be pulled out, Friar!"

"Excellent, excellent. Make sure ta bring em over to tha coolin' racks once their done. Hey there, you theivin' flop-ears! Getta way from those pasties!"

Berry suddenly hid his paws which had previously been sneaking towards a fresh leek and potato pasty.

"Wha-what do mean, sir? Do you think that I, Bernard the Honest, would eva steal even a morsel? For shame, sir! I..."

Before he could say another word, a mouse maid wearing an apron started shoving Berry out of the kitchen with an over-sized broom.

"Out, you heathen, OUT! And don't come back in here or I'll serve you as part of the next feast!", she nagged. All the other beasts in the kitchens winced at her tirade and averted their eyes when she was headed back to her post near Friar Toby.

"While I'm 'appy ta see him not stealin' the food, don'tcha think you were a bit too harsh on em, Sister Sackville?"

The sister gave Toby a nasty look. "No, I don't Friar. I know how he is, what with him hanging about with that Nikolai. I bet that hare got his uselessness from the likes of him."

Stuart cautiously sidled over, a hot tart in his paws. "H-he isn't u-u-useless. In f-fact, I sa-a-w Nikolai h-h-helping out Mr. B-Byron in the o-o-orchard."

"Aye, I saw him, too, helpin' set up the . Besides, Sister, aren'tcha related ta Niko? Ya should't be sayin' such thing about yer kin."

Sister Sackville scoffed.

"Only distantly related, thank the heavens. And even if he is my kin, I still think he's a lazy lout! Do you know he's never set foot outside of Redwall, not even a foot?"

Friar Toby stroked his chin in thought. "Well, er, no. Can't say that I 'ave."

"Hmph, well maybe he should go than, and take those hares with him.", continued the Sister, "maybe then he finally give me some peace and quiet, for once."

Toby gave a weary eye towards the mouse. He knew Agatha Sackville never really got along her cousin , but this was too hostile for his comfort. He sighed, choosing to let the conversation end there. Besides, he had important feast preparations to do.

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**And that is where we will leave thing for now. Once again, I am so sorry that this story got delayed by so long. It's mostly my fault that I haven't updated; I have a bad habit of starting a project and not actually following through. Hopefully writing this story will help a little. **

**Anyways I hope you enjoyed. Good night and joy be with you all!**


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